Jirga bars women from voting

SWABI: The jirga members of various union councils have declared that the womenfolk would not be allowed to exercise their right of vote in the by-election on March 28.

Official sources told that 10 women had filed their nomination papers for contesting on five vacant seats in the Tordher union council but the Jirga forced them to withdraw their nomination papers and give up the contest.

The sources said that along with the jirga the religious figures also opposed the women’s voting. Now, there would be no contest on the five seats, said the sources.

In the Gabasni union council, there were five vacant seats and only eight women had come forward to contest the election. But the jirga members persuaded three of them to withDr.aw, with the result the remaining five returned unopposed.

The same was the story of Dagai union council where four women had returned unopposed and there would be no election there.

In Maneri Bala union council there were three vacant seats of women. The elected members struck a compromise with one seat each going to union council nazim, naib-nazim and one to the opposition. Two women were compelled to withdraw their nomination papers. There would be no voting in this union council either.